The present invention relates to a basketball return apparatus, and more particularly to a basketball return apparatus that is easily mounted on a basketball hoop or goal to capture made and missed basketballs.
“Practice makes perfect,” so the adage goes. The game of basketball is not exempt from this age old adage. Practice is known to improve the player's basketball skills. Taking numerous shots at a basketball hoop is a key element of basketball practice as it develops the player's shooting ability and technique. However, unless a second player is present to rebound for the first player (the shooter), the first player must rebound his or her own shots. This rebounding process wastes time that could otherwise be used by the player to practice skills including shooting.
A wide variety of basketball return devices have been conceived to reduce the time spent rebounding basketball shots. These devices generally include netting and a frame. The frame is secured to the backboard, mounted to the stanchion, or placed on the basketball court below the hoop. The netting is stretched between the frame to surround the basketball rim and capture basketballs from made and missed shots. A structure such as a ramp is disposed beneath the netting to direct the shot basketball(s) to a collection point or to the shooter.
Prior art ball return devices suffer from several disadvantages. These devices tend to be large and cumbersome to install or move from one location to another. Many backboard or stanchion mounted devices require installation personnel to climb a ladder above the height of the rim to loosen or tighten multiple fasteners which secure the device to the hoop. Ball return devices that are secured to the backboard or stanchion may not accommodate both fan shaped and square backboard designs.
Ball return devices that extend upward from a position on the playing court obstruct a good deal of the court. In instances where the court is a garage driveway, the use of the device will therefore negatively affect ingress and egress of automobiles to and from the garage.